


Those Who Fight Angels

by xphil98197



Category: 00Q - Fandom, James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, F/M, M/M, Sentinel/Guide, Sentinel/Guide Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-11 13:29:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5628307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xphil98197/pseuds/xphil98197
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel never thought he would find his Sentinel, but a spark during a meeting at the National Gallery makes him rethink that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those Who Fight Angels

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Only_1_Truth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Only_1_Truth/gifts), [Chestnut_NOLA](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chestnut_NOLA/gifts).



> I got so excited about this world building that there may have to be a sequel. I completely admit that I stole these characters and neighborhood from where I lived in Los Angeles, CA. I did my best to make it fit into the London scenery, but I wanted you to meet some really exceptional people that I was fortunate enough to know. Miss Vivian really did leave the porch light on when I was walking home from the bus stop at night.
> 
> Thank you so much to MinMu for coordinating this challenge, I loved being a part of it. Always a great excuse to make new friends!
> 
> This is dedicated to Only_1_Truth, who made the fantastic painting at the end that the story is based on, and Chestnut_NOLA, who made the wonderful banner at the beginning. Although Only's painting is how they end, their relationship certainly starts out a bit more... challenging. Both these ladies did such a great job with suggestions and helping me beta, and I so appreciate it <3

Perhaps it should have been more of a significant event. It was the sort of thing that should have been announced with lightening and fan fare. instead it started with jokes about sports and competence. Gabriel was just an overgrown goth kid who grew up reading tarot cards instead of praying at night. 

 

He’d been online as a guide since he turned thirteen however no one had ever sparked his interest. Not that he was a virgin, he’d had enough of an adequate sampling of both sexes to definitively say that he preferred men. Bond had been dying somewhere in Turkey when Major Boothroyd had retired, even Gabriel himself hadn’t expected the promotion to Q.

 

It turned out that Eve’s aim wasn’t quite as fatal as she thought, good thing or she wouldn’t have even had the option of a desk job. 007 returned to Vauxhall to be armed and Q, Gabriel Shaw, the youngest Quartermaster in MI6 history, met him at the National Gallery. Turner’s 1839 “Fighting Temeraire” had been the focus of his Art History thesis, he had spent many hours in front of it, naturally that was where he told Bond to meet him. On his territory.

 

So when Bond stuck out his hand, Q wished it would have been more as a shock, however he was far too used to Fate, her quirks, her humor. He felt the sizzle of awareness, the completion of a part of him that he had assumed would always be empty. Gabriel’s bond mark felt warm suddenly, and he could feel the blood rushing, beating out a staccato. He had heard that soulmates shared a heartbeat, so he could only guess that his mark was pulsing in time to beat of Bond’s heart.

 

“Are you online?” he asked. He sighed at Bond’s blank stare. Of course not. Just another twist of Fate and her humor. He mumbled enough phrases to get out of the Gallery without Bond thinking he was a complete lunatic, hopefully. And then he went home to nurse the empty space in his chest of which he was now hyper aware. He stood in front of the mirror and sighed as he stared over his shoulder at the large mark between his shoulder blades. His mark was lit up blue, glowing a color identical to that of Bond’s eyes. 

 

After the burning of Skyfall, losing M, it was all Q could do to settle into a routine that would allow Q branch to function at minimal levels. There was all too much missing, M had been the heartbeat of the agency, and the loss of her leadership was personal to her agents, especially the ones to whom she had been a second mother. There was no memorial service, but Q went and sat on his balcony after the will was read, lost in thought.

 

It was possible that Bond had no idea that he had Sentinel abilities, or he might be latent for the rest of his life. There was no telling what he knew, although it seemed to be very little. He had been hanging around headquarters more than usual, and hadn’t gone out into the field since M’s death. Gabriel had seen him in the cafeteria having tea with Eve that afternoon, Bond looking tired and drawn. 

 

The night was cold, and foggy, and he felt all too alone. He was used to figuring out things for others, but he had hoped that at some point, he wouldn’t be going home to an empty flat at the end of the day. The flat felt like a hotel room, bland and impersonal. The promotion to Branch Head had given him money to move out of the single flat he had occupied since university, although he still regretted it. It had been home. He had been there since he started the university at 17, a rundown building in a neighborhood that hadn’t yet been gentrified. 

 

The takeaway was good, the rent was better, and the older people in the neighborhood kept an eye out for the young man who worked long days. The new neighborhood was a little too close to the city center, and the building had all of the modern conveniences like reinforced walls that made it feel like a tomb. It was too silent, and too sterile… it looked like an Ikea ad. 

 

Q went for a walk, another night where the insomnia was his closest companion. The fog was depressing, and it made his wrists ache. Too many nights of coding until dawn had left him with a fairly painful case of carpal tunnel syndrome, and he was tired of swallowing painkillers that barely took off the edge. Nothing powerful enough to actually eliminate the pain sat well with him, so he was all too familiar choosing between a roiling stomach, or aching hands.

 

He cursed softly as he lost his grip on the lobby door and caught it with his shoulder. He lost his balance and went sprawling on the sidewalk, skinning his palms. He ruefully remembered his leather gloves sitting on his desk in Q branch. His wandering had led him back to his old neighborhood a couple of kilometers away, back to the familiar stained sidewalks and lit windows with families sitting down to dinner at mismatched tables.

 

He knocked on the building next door to his old one, and suddenly remembered that most people wouldn’t open the door in the winter darkness. But the door swung open wide, and the familiar grey haired woman burst out the screen to sweep him up in her arms.

 

“Gabriel! I ought to call your grandmother!” His old neighbor pulled him in. “How am I supposed to keep an eye on you when you don’t come around anymore?”

 

“Hi, Miss V,” Gabriel held on to her a second longer than normal.

 

“What’s wrong? You don’t look so good.” She asked thoughtfully. “What do you eat in the fancy neighborhood of yours? You’d disappear if I looked at you sideways! Come in and sit down, I just was boiling water for tea.”

 

“I miss it around here,” he admitted. “I don’t know why I didn’t take that bigger apartment instead of leaving the neighborhood.”

 

“You aren’t that far, you could always come back,” MissV narrowed her eyes at him. “Ten years Gabriel, what on earth made you leave now?”

 

“I was hoping…” his voice trailed off. “There’s someone, someone I met. And I wanted to be closer to work.”

 

“You came online so long ago, I was thinking you would never meet someone,” she said. “Wait… there’s more, isn’t there?”

 

“He doesn’t know,” Gabriel shook his head.

 

“That he’s your Sentinel? So tell him!”

 

“That he’s a Sentinel at all. At least I don’t think so,”

 

“Gabriel, you’re a Guide,” she sighed. “Maybe that’s the first thing you need to show him.”

 

“Oh hey, you know how you go and get shot at for a living?” Gabriel’s voice was sarcastic. “The way I keep you safe is  I can feel where you are, and protect you. Yeah, that should go over about as well as him seeing my mark.”

 

“Don’t take that tone of voice with me, I remember changing your diapers!” MissV handed him a mug of tea. “And you can’t tell me you are any safer in that official housing, I showed you how to set wards myself. Not even junk mail gets passed my warding.”

 

“You aren’t supposed to know about my job,” he protested with a grin, stealing a still warm cookie off the cooling rack. 

 

“The day you get away with shit with me, Gabriel-” she reached behind her back and smacked him with the pot holder without missing a beat. 

 

“I was your reference for that job, and I dressed you a candle so you would get it,” MissV retorted. “Don’t go acting all posh in my kitchen. You know, Calvin and Marie’s cat had a litter of kittens. And that unit next door in the duplex is still empty. And you haven’t taken a vacation since you started. I can call Robbie and we can have you moved this weekend.”

 

“I haven’t even said yes yet,” Gabriel protested with a laugh.

 

“But you’re grinning like it's Guy Fawkes day, and that’s all I need,” she smiled. “You haven’t even unpacked your bookshelves yet, have you?”

 

Gabriel shook his head. 

 

“Do you want to choose colors, or should I just have fun?” she asked with a twinkle.

 

“Would it even do me any good to protest?”

 

“If I really believed you didn’t want to,” Miss V wrapped a plate of cookies and handed them to him. “Go ask about the duplex next door. The whole place got bought, but that man said he wanted to rent out the other half, that he travels a lot for work.”

 

“I’ll see you soon,” he spun her around. “God it's good to be home!” Gabriel dashed out into the drizzle and pounded on the door next door. The building had been for sale since the previous owner had passed away, and had been needing some care. A fountain and some fruit trees had been put in, and there was a swing on either side of the porch. There was no answer at the door, and Gabriel had no paper. Of course. He would stop by on his way to work tomorrow, and if he was lucky, the bakery would have his favorite rolls hot.

 

It was odd to be home. Part of him felt like he’d never left, and the other part felt like a stranger that no longer fit. He stepped onto the sidewalk, and a figure coming the other way ran into him. He caught a glimpse of slate blue eyes that coalesced into the features of 007, in the last place he expected to see his most bothersome agent. 

 

“Q?” Bond asked in surprise. “What on earth are you doing in my neighborhood?”

 

“Your neighborhood?” he sputtered. “I lived here for ten bloody years! How the fuck is it suddenly your neighborhood?”

 

“1319?” James asked. “You’re the one Vivian talks about!”

 

“Guilty,” Gabriel blushed. 

 

“You still stop by on Mondays on your way to work to take out her rubbish bins, don’t you?” James asked. “I thought you were a burglar the first week I was here. I could have shot you!”

 

“Shot me? With the wards she has around her property? Not likely!” he retorted. “So, the duplex… She already helped you paint, didn’t she?” He shook his head. “I should have known.”

 

“She said she knew the perfect person to fill it, her friend’s grandson,” James laughed. “She lit a candle in the front window, and put on cookies. She said you’d come running.”

 

“Do I just let them know at work tomorrow that I’m moving?” he asked helplessly.

 

“Pretty much,” James said. “She informed me she had been keeping the house empty waiting for me when I came to see it, the realtor about called the police.”

 

“The carnival is this weekend, you should make sure you visit the candy apple booth,” Gabriel said. “I’ll be moving, if I don’t go back to the apartment tomorrow and find she’s moved me first.”

 

“Here, come in,” James suggested.. “Let me get you the keys.”

 

“Just give them to Miss V,” Gabriel said with a wry smile. “And here, give her the spare set to my current apartment. I have no doubt she’s already called everyone she knows to help.” He stepped into Bond’s house and smiled at a small black female cat.

 

“Say hello, Cashew,” James bent down and she jumped on his shoulder.

 

“I see you met Calvin and Marie,” Gabriel said. “Their black cats are legendary.”

 

“Yes, and they told me they had one waiting for the person who rented the duplex next door,” James laughed.

 

“I was next in line for a tuxedo cat when I moved,” Gabriel said. “And the Six housing doesn’t allow pets.”

 

“Oh! So he was waiting for you!” James said, as a gangly tuxedo male sauntered out of the bedroom and sat at Gabriel’s feet. He pawed at Gabriel’s shoelaces and meowed at him. “He doesn’t have a name that I know of…”

 

“This is Morpheus,” Gabriel said with a grin as he sat down on the floor. “I’ve been waiting to meet you for awhile now.” Morpheus settled himself on Gabriel’s trousers with a pleased purr and started kneading, his tail swishing contentedly from side to side.

 

“But Vivian said he was waiting for a Guide, that the tuxedos always go to Guides-”

 

“And the black females always go to Sentinels,” Gabriel finished.

 

“The Gallery,” James breathed. “It was you. Not the tour guide.”

 

“You had just come online,” Gabriel realized. “That’s why you were so out of sorts.”

 

“That was the beginning, it was like an emotional migraine, but M dying was the last straw,” James admitted. He ran his fingers through his hair, leaving it standing on end. He looked haunted in the dim light, scruff casting shadows on his face. “I’m sure it was threatening a long time ago, but with all the injuries… I learned to tune my body out. Then when she died, I just couldn’t handle any more. I asked Tanner to keep me in town until I figured it out, because the minute I left London it got unbearable and I’d become ill. I felt best when I was at Six, like it was all in my head. It made me feel crazy,” James sat down heavily on the sofa.  “I suppose that’s because you were there.” 

 

“Quite possibly,” said Gabriel quietly, sitting next to him. “What made you get the duplex?”

 

“They sold my flat, and I still hadn’t unpacked since the last time.”

 

“Seems to be the curse of official housing,” Gabriel muttered. “No one gets comfortable there, so it's no loss if they never see it again.”

 

“Do you want a ride home? It’s raining pretty hard,” James looked out the window. “Or if you haven’t eaten yet… Vivian drops me off more food than I can eat.”

 

“You flirt with Miss V, don’t you?” Gabriel asked with mock horror. “Oh dear, she’s more dangerous than most of the 00 agents.”

 

“Alec has convinced her that we need taking care of, somehow,” James grinned. “He spent all last weekend helping her plant her winter garden. At least she lets us buy the groceries before she cooks them.”

 

“Isn’t Alec in France?” 

 

“Yes, he left yesterday,” James nodded as he pulled a tray of lasagna out of the fridge. 

 

“I thought I heard R talking about his tickets before I left for the weekend,” Gabriel turned on the stove and accepted a glass of red wine. “Oh, you’ve discovered Mr. Yee’s. He has the best Bordeaux this side of France.”

 

“This neighborhood has some hidden treasures,” James filled a glass for himself and tapped his glass to Q’s with a smile.. “And they are all within walking distance. My compliments, Guide. You know how to find a place to call home.”

 

“You know?” Gabriel’s eyes widened.

 

“Well, if it was you in the Gallery…? I should show you something,” James said with a sigh. He pulled off the fingerless leather glove he wore on his left hand. A bright blue pentagram showed on his skin. “It changed color that day, after the Gallery. It had always been there, pale. I assumed that it was because Vesper died.” The blood under the mark raced, skittish.

 

“Turn off the light?” Gabriel asked quietly as he set down his glass. He slipped off his coat and stripped off the sweater. A matching pentagram shone against his pale skin, a crown and stag’s horns below. “I would imagine that below your sleeve would match the rest, Sentinel?”

 

“It really is you,” James marveled. He rolled up his sleeve and pulled Q close enough to rest his forehead against his. “You really are MY Guide.” He could feel Q’s pulse against his skin, and realized that was the tempo that his heart was beating.

 

Gabriel nodded. “I hoped. I didn’t want to. But I really did. I’d gotten so used to being alone, and I thought you might stay latent forever.”

 

Bond’s phone went off with a shrill chirp and Q’s echoed a minute later. Bond sighed at the sound. 

 

“Those message notifications from M are never good, especially not at this time of night,” Q nodded. “Be careful.”

 

The message led to Bond appearing in Q branch for a gun and radio, before disappearing into the bowels of the Paris catacombs for the rest of the week. Much to Q’s chagrin, the radio did not work at those depths, and it left him determined to find another way to communicate with the agent.

 

He had heard the same stories every Guide grew up with, a telepathic ability to reach their Sentinel when they were in danger. So he decided that as soon as Bond returned, it would be time to explain to him what he knew about how those links worked. Clearly coming online late meant Bond had never learned how a bonded pair functioned in respect to each other. 

 

From what Gabriel knew from his official file, James Bond had no close friends other than Alec Trevelyan, and no relatives alive. He had been raised in boarding school, and by Kincaid, the groundskeeper of Skyfall, on vacations. He had no known current connections outside Six, and the one woman he loved had betrayed him, before dying. Even his apartment had been sold when he went off the grid in Turkey, and he since had bought property outside official housing that would go to Trevelyan in the event of his death.

 

***

 

If there was one thing Q took seriously, it was the need to keep his agents safe. And the fact that James was his Sentinel, meant that Q was working overdrive to invent ways to bring him back safely. He had a vested interest in keeping James alive, even they never bonded. A Sentinel/Guide pair who lost one partner usually resulted in the other going mad, or simply dying of a broken heart. Q had been alone long enough that he was willing to take a risk, but not when his Sentinel was being foolhardy and reckless just for stubbornness sake.

 

James Bond was not known for doing things the easy way. 007 might be known for blowing up embassies and rising from the dead, and James was the less charming version of him. When the suave charm was stripped away, he was a scarred man who didn’t adjust well to people getting close to him.

 

It was probably more than Gabriel should have expected for things to go smoothly. 007 wasn’t known for following instructions when his life was in danger, so there was no reason to suspect he would simple take Gabriel’s word for something as simple as honing in on his senses. Even more suspect was the fact that Gabriel insisted that if he concentrated, they could share thoughts. Bond was quite sure he had never heard this.

 

“Try it again, Bond,” Gabriel sighed. “And at least pretend to follow the instructions.” He scowled at his mug of Earl Grey, which had gone cold somewhere in Bond’s fourteen tries to hear him with ear plugs in. “I can hear you complaining in my head and it's quite distracting.”

 

“This is useless!” Bond tugged out the earplugs again, and one went skittering off into the dust bunnies hiding along the edge of the baseboards in the shooting range. “Why would I possibly need to hear you with earplugs in?”

 

“We’ve been over this,” Gabriel adopted his no nonsense, Quartermaster voice. “If your equipment is out of range, or disabled, this is a way for you to reach me. And considering as often as your equipment gets eaten by Komodo dragons, or used as a projectile, I can use all the help I can get keeping you safe. Now please, try it again. I don’t want to have to live the rest of my life without you. I’ve  just found you.”

 

James shut up at that, not exactly compliant, but properly chagrined into silence at least. He had only been online a short time, and Q had been waiting over a decade to meet his Sentinel. He had been waiting almost half his life to meet the person who he would lead. 

 

Nothing Gabriel had heard growing up had prepared him for a Sentinel who would fight him just for the perverse pleasure of being contrary. If he said go right, Bond went left. If he said to throw the grenade, Bond would insist on going in bare handed. Mission after mission since he had been Bond’s handler, Q wondered if the agent did it on purpose, with some sort of death wish. It drove Q to pulling his hair, yanking at it until the curls straightened out and stood straight up on his head.

 

***

 

The next mission was a nightmare. The fact that there had been no downtime in between meant that Miss V had been watching both of their cats, and Q hadn’t left the office in days, let alone made it home. He abhorred anything involving children as victims, and the terrorists had chosen to store their nuclear weapons cache on the grounds of the Czech school. Q felt as if every life was depending on him evacuating the school as quickly as possible, not to mention the fact that his Sentinel had taken it upon himself to do a hand counted inventory of the weapons.

 

After that, rather than using the return ticket that Q had booked, he had taken it upon himself to stake out the headquarters of the neo-Nazi group looking to buy the weapons. It had been four days of non-stop stress as Q worried every time a vehicle showed up on the radar near Bond’s location.

 

“I need you to be more careful,” Q pleaded, after Bond had decided to tail a car that had slowed suspiciously near the headquarters building. “I don’t have anyone near you I can send for backup, and I personally need you to make it back here in one piece.”

 

“Why don’t you worry about your spots, and leave the field work to the field agents?” Bond snarked. His temper was short from the stress. Normally Bond expended a certain amount of nervous energy shooting the targets, but because of the explosives this time he had been limited to a knife.

 

R walked up behind Q and laid another mug of tea on the desk at his elbow. He had his head down on the desk, his eyes closed. There were tears threatening to escape out of sheer frustration. James had been out of the country for almost a week, and Q hadn’t slept more than an hour at a stretch that whole time. A born insomniac, it didn’t help that Bond was far enough away for a twelve hour time difference. The lack of sleep was making the littlest things into huge obstacles that were beyond Q’s reasoning powers.

 

“Go to your office and catch a few hours sleep,” R said quietly. “He’s only doing surveillance, and I will wake you if anything changes.” She herded him to the couch in his office and tucked a blanket around Gabriel, and closed the door.

 

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” she demanded, furious. “Do you have any idea the kind of stress you are causing him by being so obstinate? He is going to drive himself into the ground keeping you safe just because you have no basic self preservation. In fact, I happen to know you are doing this on purpose. You’ve never dared behave this way with me on comms, and fucking good thing. I would have turned off the intel and left you to your own devices.” 

 

“And another thing,”she fiddled with a switch and got a perverse amount of pleasure out of hearing James shout in pain as the earpiece reverb hit him. “I saw that bug that you planted in the office during your recon. Q may have been so tired he couldn’t stand without a wall to hold him up, but I was awake. Now, I give you twenty four hours to get your arse back here, and you better have a good apology planned for him. Or so help me god, I will make sure you have nothing but honey pot missions for geriatric old women for the rest of your career. Do I make myself clear, 007?”

 

“Yes, Ma'am,” James said quietly, enduring the tongue lashing without backtalk.

 

“That man is your Guide, I suggest you research what that means,” R warned. “You need to understand that he is feeling what you feel, and it's hurting him. He can feel you being apathetic about him, and that is not a fair thing.”

 

“I’m not apathetic,” James protested. “This is like something that is supposed to happen to teenage girls, that I found my Guide.”

 

“Are you not planning to bond with him?” R asked in horror.

 

“Bond?” James groaned. “What am I missing about this whole situation?”

 

“I’m going to email you some documents,” R said with a sigh. “I suggest you download them and read them on the flight home. You have a lot to learn.”

 

***

 

James swore at the phone loudly for the second time in as many minutes. He was glad that R had gone for technical rather than romantic documents, but they were making him cringe none the less. He hadn’t realize that Q being his Guide, and him not honoring that, had such extreme repercussions. 

 

He opened the last document, a blog written by a late blooming Sentinel who had endured a rather trying time adjusting to his Guide.

 

_ “If there’s one thing I could have changed from the beginning, I would have asked him what HE needed. I was so focused on not changing and not needing anyone, I didn’t realize that I was depriving him of something so fundamental by pushing him away. I might not be gay, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a deep need to care for me. It’s been an adjustment, absolutely. But I feel like I’ve never been so fulfilled.” _

 

Bond sighed and swallowed the double shot of neat Scotch at his elbow. Clearly he owed his Guide an apology. 

 

*** 

 

True to Q’s suspicions, Miss V had him moved in that week, and settled enough that he could go enjoy the carnival. There was a box waiting for him on the porch when he came home Friday night after work, with ‘Gabriel and Morpheus’ written in neat cursive. He opened it to find a black harness and leash, adorned with glow in the dark fish.

 

“Morpheus?” he called as he unlocked the door. An expectant meow met him from the top of the bookcase. Morpheus landed on his shoulder and nudged Q with his chin. “Alright, I know when I’m outnumbered,” Gabriel laughed. “Let’s go get candy apples, and win you a goldfish.”

 

Morpheus sat down and lifted his paw to have the harness buckled. “ Maybe we should take Cashew with us?” Q asked as he locked the door behind him. Morpheus meowed, and pawed at Bond’s door. An answering meow from inside sounded and a pair of ears appeared behind the curtains. Cashew’s orange eyes matched her harness, and she stalked out the door with a whip of her tail as Q let her out with his key.

 

One cat on each side, Q meandered down the street. The winter twilight was turning the dusk pink and violet. Gabriel accepted a hug from several of the neighbors he had yet to see since his return, and found himself the object of more dinner invitations than he knew how to accept. 

 

“You’re back!” the girl at the candy apple booth squealed and launched herself at him with a hug. “I was so worried when you weren’t here for the Easter carnival, but Miss V told me that you’d be here for this one. And I got all A’s so far this year!”

 

“Mercedes, Mr. Santos," Gabriel shook hands with her father. Morpheus made several discontented chirps and sunk a claw into his trouser leg.

 

“Oh my god, you really did get one! Does this mean you found your Sentinel?” Mercedes bent to pet the two cats. “Oh! This is your Sentinel’s cat, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, it is,” an amused voice behind Gabriel spoke up, and he relaxed his tense muscles in relief. “I’m James, and this is Cashew.” He laid a warm hand on Gabriel’s neck.

 

“Welcome back Gabriel, we missed you,” Mr. Santos smiled. “And James, take good care of him. Your Guide is something special.”

 

“Yes, I’ve been remiss in not figuring that out sooner,” James’s smile was sad, guarded. 

 

“Now that I’m back in the neighborhood, let me know if you need help with homework, Mercedes,” Gabriel leaned against James thoughtfully. “And I need a half dozen of your cheesecake apples. James, I promised Morpheus a goldfish at the coin toss.”

 

“Ok,” James brushed a hair back from Gabriel’s forehead and nodded, still lost with his thoughts. “Wait, are you walking the cats on leashes?” His eyes widened.

 

“You really are new to the neighborhood,” Mercedes giggled. “I’m waiting for my Tuxedo. They said next litter.”

 

“There’s this boy that’s all starry eyed, small enough to put in her pocket,” her father smiled. “What can I do? At least he knows how lucky he is.” Mercedes smacked him, but a warm blush stained her cheeks pink. She handed over the box of apples to Gabriel and counted out his change in coins.

 

“Ahh, I was wondering when that would happen,” Gabriel smiled. “You’ll have to bring him by to say hi. Come on James, let’s go win goldfish.” He gave James a handful of coins, and Cashew’s leash. “You really haven’t walked her yet?”

 

“I was wondering why they left me a harness and leash, but I got sent out and didn’t have time to call Marie to find out.” James pulled him into his arms. “I owe you an apology, Gabriel.”

 

“Why?” Gabriel’s smile was soft.

 

“I didn't realize how much I was hurting you by pushing you away, by being myself,”James sighed. “I’m so used to being a right bastard and doing things alone. And I can’t do that anymore. R sent me some articles for the flight home.”

 

“Oh for goodness sake-” Gabriel’s voice was exasperated but fond.

 

“No, someone needed to tell me to get my head out of my arse.” James tightened his arms around Gabriel. “I can’t give you half of me. For this to work, I have to at least try. I have to let you in. I’m doing you a disservice by being a drain on you as a Guide without protecting you, and… giving us a chance…” He swallowed and looked away.

 

“Are you sure?” Gabriel asked. “I don’t do things halfway. If I let myself love you, let myself fully bond with you, it's going to be for keeps. I want you James, but if that’s not what you want, I can’t let you destroy me. I know this is so new to you… But I’ve been waiting for this a long time. I barely let myself hope, thought it had passed me by.”

 

“I thought.... I thought I was broken because of Vesper,” James whispered. “I thought that I would never find someone. It didn’t matter that I didn’t admit I was a Sentinel, because I was barely existing as a person. And then in the museum… I couldn't let myself hope. Because then you would be in danger.”

 

“I’ve been taking care of myself, and all of you, for a long time, give me some credit,” Gabriel smiled. “I know you all think of me as fragile, but really James, I’m older than I look, and I’ve been on my own for a long time. And with Miss V’s wards, there’s really very little that can happen to me.”

 

“I may need you to explain all that?”

 

“Of course, I think Miss V should help me as well,” Gabriel pressed a kiss to James’s cheek and handed him Cashew’s leash. “There are some specific wards that a bonded pair uses that I’m not well versed in. “ He tucked his hand into James’s and pulled him along to the goldfish booth.

 

“Rogelio!” He waved at the youth manning the booth.

 

“Gabe, you’re back!” The teenager stepped around the edge of the booth to give him an enthusiastic handshake. “Are you going to tutor again?”

 

“Yes, maybe not on a regular basis though,” Gabriel picked up Morpheus. He gave Rogelio the handful of coins, and set the cat on the counter where he could watch. He picked up the basket of ping pong balls, and threw each of them at the display of goldfish in plastic cups. Morpheus nosed at one cup in particular, and dipped in his paw to bat at the ping pong ball that had landed inside.

 

“Do you want all three that you won?” Rogelio asked.

 

“Why don’t you give the other two to a kid that misses?” Gabriel smiled. “I need to set up my tank again and one fish is enough for us right now. James, your turn.”

 

James handed over the coins and managed to sink all the balls except one in cups. He let Cashew hop up and nose at a small white goldfish with an orange spot, and he took that one. “Is there anything else I can’t live without?” he asked Gabriel with a smile.

 

“Well, tamales get delivered tomorrow, so unless you want popcorn balls, I think we’re done,” Gabriel fastened lids on each of their cups to keep the fish inside. “Rogelio, you have my number still?”

 

“Of course man, wouldn’t lose it!” He waved and petted each cat.

 

“I think dinner sounds good, maybe something more than popcorn balls though,” James yawned, rubbing his mark.

 

“This shouldn’t be hurting you,” Gabriel frowned and picked up his hand to study the mark. 

 

“We all do things on mission we don’t want to do,” James flinched. “I didn’t realize how it was going to affect me to kill once I could feel you. I’m not usually that up close and personal, I haven’t had to use a knife only on a mission in a long time. But, I could feel their hearts stop beating.”

 

“Let’s go then,” Gabriel wrapped an arm around James’ waist and they walked the short blocks home in silence. Gabriel let both cats into his own apartment, and dumped both fish into the tank he had filled and set on the breakfast bar. “I’ll bring yours over tomorrow and help you get a setup. But for now, you relax.” He tucked James into the overstuffed armchair and put a blanket around him.

 

Gabriel set tea to boil, and opened the slow cooker to stir the warm curry, He filled the rice cooker and started it, and made tea. He settled onto the arm of the chair next to James, and handed him a mug. 

 

“I don’t think I know how you take your tea,” he said, puzzled. “I feel like I should know that.” He sighed. “I feel like I don’t know anything about you other than what I’ve read in your file, and what I have overheard on the comms. I always assumed that we would have met younger, and know everything about each other.”

 

“We do have lost time to make up for,” James agreed. “Tanner informed me I have some mandatory downtime coming, Alec is already back, and I think he assumes that he is going to be taking over my half of the duplex, and that I will be staying here with you.”

 

“That’s… a lot of assumptions…” Q said faintly.

 

“Can you honestly tell me that’s not what you want?” James asked quietly.

 

“Of course I want it, but…” Q worried at his thumb nail. “I don’t… I’m not what you are used to. I was trained in magic, I’m pagan. I don’t really drink, and I talk to my pets. I’m not the sophisticated women that you are used to, James.”

 

“Magic? Like all that blending and mixing Alec is learning from Miss V?” James smiled. “I’m not trying to change you, I’m trying to learn how to accept you into my life, find out how you fit. Let’s just take it slow.”

 

“Alright,” Q smiled. “I can do that. You ready for food?”

 

“Sure, let me help you serve,” James stood and offered him a hand up. 

 

“I don’t sleep much, even when I’m home, I get bad nightmares,” Q smiled shyly, green eyes blinking behind dark lashes. The pale skin, contrary to Bond’s teasing, was smooth, no spots.However, there were dark circles under Q’s eyes, and James rubbed at them with his thumb. “It's been since I was a child. I’m hoping having a cat will help.”

 

“You’re in good company then, I’ve been known to wake up screaming on the best of days,” James filled the bowls with rice and handed them to Q to top off with curry.

 

“We all have our demons we fight,” Q nodded. “I know how it is.”

 

“But then some of us are so stubborn we fight the angels who are on our side,” James said ruefully. “I’m trying to learn, I really am. Just… be patient with me?”

 

“I moved in next door to you, James. Give me some credit,” Q smiled. “I’m bloody renting from you. I’ve dealt with you in the field, and deal with agents on a post mission crash when you are climbing the walls and stealing things from Q branch. I can handle it. Just try not to shut down.” He handed back a full bowl and they curled back up on the chair. The two cats sat expectantly at their feet.

 

“Curry is NOT for kittens, and your bowl is full, I checked,” Q scolded them. “Go eat your food and if you are good, maybe there will be spinach later.”

 

“You’re going to feed your cat spinach?” James asked in bewilderment. “Shouldn’t you give them milk, or tuna?”

 

“You’ve never owned a pet before, have you?” Q asked, amused. “That’s like feeding a child candy all the time. They have to eat vegetables just like we do. Adult cats aren’t actually supposed to drink milk at all.”

 

“I suppose there’s more than one thing I’m completely ignorant about,” James said. “Tell me what I’m missing, about being a Sentinel?”

 

“Well, I can tell you what I learned growing up, although I had the added bonus of growing up using magic,” Q smiled. “That’s how I know Miss V. My grandmum raised me, and they would hang out. My grandmum and her had these discussions, they would talk about philosophy, and magic and alchemy. I didn’t know that was anything extraordinary.”

 

“Magic? Honest to god magic with a wand and spells?”

 

“Well, sort of,” Q explained. “The way Miss V and my grandma explained it was that Christians pray, Buddhists meditate, Catholics say the rosary, it's all a way to focus our energy when we need something to change.”

 

“But how does being a Guide fit in with that?”

 

“I can focus my energy when I need to, I can hone in on you and find you amidst the other energy signatures. I’m not just a Guide, I’m YOUR Guide. I have more power where you are concerned than I would with someone else.”

 

“Is that why the missions are always more successful with you on comms?” James asked. 

 

“I can focus my energy, lots of practice,” Q grinned. “I had to do something all those years I was single. It wasn’t very satisfying to have one night stands knowing that I had a soul mate waiting for me, someone whose heart beats in time with mine.”

 

“You’re a virgin?” James groaned. “Just my luck.”

 

“Shut it!” Q blushed red. “No, thank you very much. I know more than enough to keep you happy, if it comes to that.”

 

“If?” James asked quietly. “Are you really rethinking this now?”

 

“No! Of course not. I just…” Q sighed. “I don’t want you to feel obligated if one day you wake up and realize that you miss being with a woman.”

 

“I said I was going to take it seriously,” James protested. 

 

“That doesn’t mean that you’ll like it!” Q stood and started pacing. He took the bowls to the kitchen and dropped them into the sink with a clatter, then started the kettle again. He pulled out fresh mugs, and then went back for the dirty ones, but froze.

 

“Q?” James caught him in his arms and sunk to the floor. “Q, I’m not leaving, I promise. I’m not going anywhere. If there’s a day I have to choose between finishing the mission, and coming back to you, I’ll come back. Six can always replace a 00, their Quartermaster is far more valuable.”

 

“I don’t want you to come back for me! I want you to come back because you’re safe,” Q sniffled, wiping a nose on his cardigan sleeve. “I should get some sleep, it's been a long week. You should as well. I’ll be fine, I’ll just wash the dishes and go to bed.”

 

“Let me at least help?” James asked, helping him up.

 

“No, it's fine,” Q waved him off. 

 

“We have a date to garden with Miss V in the morning,” James reminded. “I’ll make sure Alec brings you coffee.”

 

“Goodnight, James,” Q smiled wearily. He washed the dishes quickly and took a hot shower, and then crawled into bed. Cashew had stayed, and curled up on his pillow, while Morpheus curled up on his hip. He drifted off quicker than he expected, too physically tired to be kept awake by the endless repetition of worry going on in his mind. 

 

***

 

When Q woke up on Saturday, it was to a knock on the wall, and Alec announcing that there was coffee and fresh rolls from the bakery. It seemed that the other half of the blond 00 duo had wasted no time getting acquainted with the local treasures, and charmed most of the shop owners into thinking he needed someone to take care of him.

 

“Hurry up Quartermaster, I need your help!” Alec yelled, as he unlocked the door that connected the two flats.

 

“I thought I left that bolted,” Q yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and fumbling for his glasses. 

 

“You probably did, I can’t believe James hasn’t figured that out yet,” Alec grinned unrepentantly. “Far better than having to walk outside to visit your bed in the rain.”

 

“I’m not-” Q shook his head. “James and I haven’t had sex yet.”

 

“Why not?” Alec frowned. “Isn’t that the whole point of him figuring out that you are his Guide?”

 

“Your best mate seems to be the only person in the world who had no idea how a Sentinel/Guide pair works,” Q retorted. “We’re easing into it slowly. He’s willing, but not quite.... he hasn’t thought of it as a good thing yet, just something that he is obligated to do.”

 

“Idiot,” Alec snorted. “Ok, so you have to tell me everything that you know about Rhiannon.”

 

“Miss V’s granddaughter?” Q laughed. “Oh Alec, she’ll eat you alive.”

 

“Miss V told me what pastries to bring and how she likes her coffee,” Alec protested. “How scary can a girl be?”

 

“A third generation trained Welsh witch?” Q rolled his eyes. “Don’t take my word for it. Please, go make an idiot out of yourself, and let her hex your balls off. And whatever you do, don’t refer to her as a girl, or makes jokes about her height.” He rolled out of bed and tugged on a pair of trousers, hunting under the bed for the mate to the shoe that lay by the dresser. 

 

Morpheus popped out his head from under the bed, sneezing a dust bunny off of his whiskers. He pulled a balled up pair of socks after him, and batted them over to Q.

 

“Oh, I met Marie,” Alec mentioned thoughtfully. “She mentioned that there’s going to be another litter of kittens soon, asked if I wanted one.”

 

“What did you tell her?” Q asked. “I’m not sure how much James told you-”

 

“Yes, I know, they go to a Sentinel or Guide,” Alec waved him off. “Marie brought it up right after Miss V mentioned me meeting her Rhiannon this weekend, so I figured they had already collaborated.”

 

“You know you’re a Sentinel?” Q asked.

 

“Well of course, I’ve known for a long time,” Alec sighed. “All the 00s are. But online, no. My parents were a bonded pair growing up. I wasn’t ready when I was younger, and now… well, maybe it's still possible. But I’m not holding my breath. I’ve killed a lot of people Q, what online Guide is going to want a trained assassin with a license to kill? But if they have an ordinary cat in the litter, I wouldn’t say no. It would be awfully nice to not come home to an empty flat with white walls.”

 

“Marie and Calvin don’t have ordinary cats, Alec,” Q smiled. “And if they offered, they know that you’re about to come online. They’ve never been wrong. And besides, I heard you’ve already claimed James’s flat, since you assume he will be moving in with me.”

 

“Well, hurry up, why don’t you? He’s not going to leave you, Q, you don’t know James like I do. When he commits to something… you’re very lucky,” Alec shook his head at the memories. “He was loyal to Vesper, up until the moment she died, even though she betrayed him. No matter what his file says, he would have stayed with her.”

 

“He doesn’t have to stay with me, I want him to want to be with me,” Q said. 

 

“You don’t know the James I know, James before he was 007,” Alec said. “No one ever made him do something he didn’t want to do after his parents died. He said life was too short, and that the Navy was a means to an end, a way for us to be able to bend the rules by being in charge. I think Six has just been an extension of that for him. We had nothing to lose, so there was nothing to give up.”

 

“We’ll see what happens,” Q told him, sipping his coffee. “Oh, that’s good. You cheated and asked Miss V how I take mine as well, didn’t you?”

 

“I can’t tell you all my secrets!” Alec winked and pulled Q along behind him out the door, carrying the tray of coffee, and handing Q the bag of fresh rolls.

 

Q banged on James’s door and followed after Alec, protesting being dragged. By the time they had walked next door, Alec had him carrying everything, and was fussing with his hair. 

 

“I wish I had a camera,” James laughed, sneaking up behind Q. “I never thought I’d see the day Alec was nervous about meeting someone.”

 

“I wasn’t until Q told me that she’d hex my balls off!” Alec sighed. “You already found your Guide, and you’re younger than me. You have nothing to worry about-”

 

The door swung open, revealing a long, red haired woman, short, with a petite frame. She had large blue eyes, too large for her heart shaped face, and her arms were tattooed with Celtic knot designs, animals of different colors, and Gaelic writing.

 

“Gabe!” She threw her arms around Q and attacked him with a hug. He barely managed to hand the coffee off to James before she was pulling him along behind her through the house,

 

“Grandmum, Gabe is here!” She yelled, nearly running into Miss V as she rounded the corner into the kitchen.

 

“I couldn’t tell,” Miss V smiled and gave him a hug. “Hi sugar, where are those agents of yours?”

 

“I think I scared Alec off,” Q grinned.

 

“Yes, I walked into a conversation about me hexing balls off,” Rhiannon grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ll be nice to him in a bit. After I let him worry, and make him till your gardens.”

 

“You’re evil,” Q laughed. “Our yards are joined, are you going to plant a giant one?”

 

“We’ll see what we come up with, and what seedlings I have left,” Rhiannon promised. “Although I would love to do a night garden on one side, and a day garden on the other. But let’s see what James will let us get away with first.”

 

“Alec, quit loitering on my porch like a hungover beggar,” Miss V yelled. “Get in here.”

 

Alec scuttled in followed by James, who was shoving him forward, protesting the whole way. 

 

“Hello Alec, I’m Rhiannon,” Q had never seen Rhiannon blush, until he saw Alec take her hand. Her hair fell over her face and she turned away to hide the lines that were turning colors on her forearm.

 

Q pulled James into the kitchen and Miss V smiled knowingly, leaving Rhiannon and Alec alone. She winked at Q, and pulled the back door closed behind them.

 

“Marie is never wrong,” Q smiled. “I’ve seen him face down land mines and look more confident.”

 

“Everyone is confident until something important, like their heart, is at stake,” Miss V sipped her coffee. “You two look like you’re doing well?”

 

“It's going…” James admitted. “This is terrifying. Everyone I’ve cared about has died.”

 

“Oh James, you can’t think that way,” Vivian sighed. “The world can be a wonderful place, and it can also be a cruel one. Is that why you’re trying to save everyone?”

 

“They can have a normal life at least,” James looked down. “Let them enjoy it.”

 

“You two need to learn about bond wards,” Vivian said decisively. “How you ever thought about why it's so rare to hear about a Sentinel or Guide dying? They usually have dangerous jobs, law enforcement, government, military. But if one dies, so will the other. They will literally feel the pain their partner feels as they die.”

 

“I’ve heard of them, not sure how they work,” Gabriel said, his hand on James’s shoulder, holding on to him like he would disappear.

 

“You know how to ward a property, Gabriel,” Vivian said. “This is just you both reaching out for your bond, and warding each other.”

 

“Oh… we aren’t-” Gabriel blushed.

 

“Sounds like something we need to do,” James took Gabriel’s hand. “Before I get sent back out. But magic is new for me. Can you teach me how to ward myself?”

 

“Why don’t you explain it Gabriel?” Vivian smiled. “He’s been doing this since he was a child, he and Rhiannon learned together.”

 

“I think of it as colors,” Gabriel explained. “It’s the easiest way for me to visualize it. Each layer is a color, and I take a breath and focus on each one in order, starting with red, ending with purple. I count to three breathing in, and count to three breathing out for each. When I have agents on missions, I add a layer for each of you after I shield myself.”

 

“And that’s exactly how it’s going to work once you are bonded,” Vivian said. “But James is going to be feeling you, feeling your thoughts, and you will be doing the same. You’ll use the same process you use individually, but it will be reinforced by the bond.”

 

“We should ward the house as well,” Gabriel said.

 

“I did some basic wards, but you should reinforce them after you bond,” Vivian nodded. “It adds a whole other layer of protection. A bonded pair can use it for their children, or you can use it for your pets as well.”

 

“Can I ask you something, Vivian?” Gabriel said quietly.

 

“About Ralph?” she sighed.

 

“Ralph was your husband,” Gabriel said quietly. “Was he not your bond mate?”

 

“No, he wasn’t,” Vivian said. “There was someone I was madly in love with when I was 16. He got killed, but thankfully we weren’t bonded. He was Meredith’s father, not Ralph. I still wonder, if we had bonded, would it have saved him, or killed me. But I have a beautiful daughter and granddaughter, I can’t think like that. What ifs will destroy you faster than anything else.”

 

“Ralph was great,” Gabriel smiled. “He taught me to use my first computer.”

 

“And regretted that day, we’ve never pried you away again.” Vivian teased. “But he would have been so proud of you Gabriel, he thought of you like his own grandson.”

 

“Ralph passed away when Rhiannon and I were in high school,” Gabriel sighed. “He said he wasn’t feeling well and skipped dinner, and in the morning when we went to bother him, he was gone.”

 

“What happened to your parents?” James asked. “If your grandmother raised you… I guess they aren’t around?”

 

“My mother came to visit my grandma when I was a baby,” Gabriel said.

 

“I was there,” Vivian added. “Your grandmother and I took one look at her, and gave her all the cash we had. Told her the best thing she could do was leave and not come back. I don’t know what she was taking, or who your father was. But we weren’t surprised when the police called and said that she was killed several weeks later. We were just fortunate that we had gotten you away from her in time.”

 

“Will I get to meet your grandmother?” James asked.

 

“Oh yes, she’s in India right now,” Gabriel laughed.

 

“India?” James asked incredulously. “What on earth is she doing there?”

 

“Visiting tea plantations, we take our tea very seriously in this family,” Gabriel laughed. “Last year she went to see coffee roasted in Jamaica. Now that she is retired, she picks a different country each year to visit. Her bucket list is longer than mine.”

 

“Now you can plan things to do together, quit hibernating and working all the time,” Vivian scolded. “Why don’t you go find Rhiannon and make sure she hasn’t eaten Alec for breakfast, and James can help me bring over the seedlings.”

 

“Be nice to him, Miss V,” Gabriel smiled.

 

“Pfft. You stubborn males can all use a good ear pulling at some point or another,” Vivian winked.

 

Gabriel laughed and went off to find Alec, who was in the living room, teaching Rhiannon the Russian alphabet.

 

“Are you two ready to start preparing the garden?” he asked. “I say we escape before she lays into James.”

 

“I left the tools in the front yard last time we used them,  go get the cats and we will meet you in the yard,” Rhiannon said with a smile. She stood, and offered Alec a hand up. He blushed and Gabriel smiled, content to see that he had given up his ideas of being the one in charge. “You can finish teaching me later, Alec. Maybe you can make me some of that Turkish coffee you were telling me about and we can have a study date.”

 

Gabriel went to get the cats, who were both sitting in his kitchen, each on a stool at the breakfast bar. They were watching the goldfish swim back and forth, their tails twitching in time. 

 

“Come on you two, garden time,” he called, opening the back door. Cashew yowled and swatted Morpheus when he didn’t follow her fast enough. The two followed him outside, Cashew going right and Morpheus going left, circling around the perimeter to explore. Gabriel hadn’t had time to see the yard, and it was a pleasant surprise.There was a small pond on his side, that would be a perfect spot for the goldfish in the spring once they got bigger. James’s side of the yard had a gazebo with a jacuzzi, and a BBQ. 

 

Gabriel started off with pulling out the largest of the dead plants in the patch of garden dirt, and  straightening the bricks that lined it. He knelt to pick out the smaller plants, and pinched off some of the dead flowers to use as seeds in the spring. Alec appeared, carrying a pile of tools, Rhiannon trailing behind him with a basket of hand tools and gloves.

 

“We thought you might need some help, Miss V started lecturing,” Alec smirked. 

 

“I’m sure you’ll be on the receiving end of one of those sort of lectures in the near future,” Rhiannon smacked him. 

 

“I don’t envy you,” Gabriel laughed. “Should I go rescue him?”

 

“Let her talk to him, love,” Rhiannon advised. “Your Sentinel needs a bit of advice. Someone should have given him this talk years ago. She’ll be just the right amount of firm, and gentle, like she always is. But he does have to learn Gabriel, he can’t just keep his head up his arse and not pay attention to how it affects you.”

 

“I know,” Gabriel sighed. “I’m just… protective of him. It feels odd.”

 

“You’re in love Gabriel, of course you are,” Rhiannon whispered. “Does he know?”

 

“How the hell do I tell him? You’re my Sentinel, I’m terrified something is going to happen to you, and oh, by the way, I’m madly in love with you, even though I know you fancy women?” Gabriel said ruefully. “The best I can hope for is that he consents to bond with me, and tolerates it.”

 

“Let Grandmama talk to him,” Rhiannon advised. “He’ll come around.”

 

“It happens to the best of us,” Alec added, slipping an arm around her waist. “Sometimes we just need a nudge.”

 

“And what the hell happened to you, Alec?” Gabriel grinned. “Mister confirmer bachelor, never going to settle down. And you’re gardening, early on a weekend!”

 

“I realized that having no ties wasn’t necessarily a positive thing,” Alec said. “I think Miss V has been setting me up for this for weeks now. I’ve been doing errands, cleaning her garden, drying herbs, mixing teas, grocery shopping and scrubbing pots. Not exactly out whoring around and getting drunk, is it?”

 

“I’m happy for you, Alec, you deserve to be happy,” Gabriel said. “I just wish James believed that he did as well. He’s doing penance, and he’s the only one that thinks he is guilty. I don’t even know why.”

 

“His parents died when he was a child,” Alec said. “Its why we get along so well, we’ve both always been alone. He’s been in love… and then betrayed. I didn’t think he would ever try again. It's not just the bonding, Gabriel. M told Eve to take the shot, Vesper doublecrossed him, he has a hard time trusting. It's what makes him an exceptional agent, and a difficult human being.”

 

***

 

“Should I just say I’m sorry now?” James asked quietly.

 

“Why, have you done something I don’t know about?” Vivian asked. 

 

“You’re going to scold me.”

 

“I’m not going to scold you James,” she sighed. “No reason I can’t talk to you like an adult. There’s just some things your parents should have told you, as a teenager. And since they weren’t there to do it, everyone figured it was someone else’s job.”

 

“So I get the adult version of the birds and the bees?” James’s joke fell flat.

 

“No,” Vivian took his hand. “I don’t think there’s a single thing I could teach you about that, you’re probably a lot more experienced than an old woman like me. How long have you known him, James?”

 

“A bit over a year now?” James thought about it. “I met him right when he made Quartermaster. I was his first assignment, and I made fun of him for having spots.”

 

“Do you see the way he looks at you? As observant as you are, I can’t believe you’d miss it,” she traced the lines of his palms.

 

“Yes,” James sighed. “He looks at me like I hung the moon. And I’m just some bitter person who kills for a living. He’s good Vivian, really good. I’m going to destroy him.”

 

“Gabriel is a lot stronger than you think,” Vivian said. “Don’t underestimate him. He compliments you, and he’ll keep you safe while you heal some of those scars, if you’ll let him.”

 

“He still believes I’m good, that he loves me!” James shouted, dropping her hand and storming into the house.

 

Vivian gave him a few minutes to calm himself before she followed him. She sat on the couch, and put a hand on his shoulder. James was curled up on the floor in front of the couch, his arms around his knees. 

 

“James, if you really were as bad as you think, you wouldn’t care what he thought,” Vivian said. “Stop trying to chase him away. All he wants in the world is to make you happy, even if that means letting you go because you don’t love him in return. He thinks that by sacrificing himself, you’ll be doing what you need to do. Do you know what I think?”

 

He made a strangled sound somewhere between a sigh and a sob.

 

“I think that you could do with someone to care about you,” Vivian said. “I know this is new for you, and you’re doing it out of duty. But he’s in love. He thinks you hung the moon, because you’re the brightest thing in his world. You’re the pinnacle of his light, as his Sentinel. His whole purpose is to keep you safe.”

 

“And what about him?” James’s voice was muffled, face still buried in his arms. “What about when they come after him to get to me, and I’m off somewhere and I can’t stop them? What about when they hurt me to get him to give up my secrets?”

 

“Then you figure it out, together,” Vivian said. “Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to hold off the world alone?”

 

“So you’ll teach me to protect him?” James raised his head, his eyes red.

 

“I’m going to teach you to protect both of you,” Vivian smiled. “But the best thing I can tell you James, of all the advice I could give you, is to let him in. You’re hurting both of you by keeping him away. He’s  been preparing his whole life to be your Guide, he’s exactly what you need. And you’re probably the one person in the world that can be his Sentinel, someone who knows how to guard someone who is vital to the safety of the country. Trust him James, he isn’t going to Guide you wrong. He can’t, it goes against his nature as a guide. He also can’t force you to do something you don’t want to do. He’s going to give you the option he sees as best, and then its up to you to decide whether or not to listen to him.”

 

“What do I do?”

 

“Have you ever been in love?” Vivian asked. “Really, desperately, where it hurts to be too far away from someone?”

 

“I-I felt like that after I met him, after I came online,” James said miserably. “I didn’t know what was wrong, I thought it was all in my head. But every time I was around him, I felt like I could fly.”

 

“What do you have to lose?”

 

“Nothing, there’s nothing else,” James said hollowly. “He’s just so bright, and beautiful. I’m going to ruin that.”

 

“No, you’re not,” Vivian said. “Go tell Alec and Rhiannon to come back here and help me with these plants, go talk to him. And James…?”

 

“Yes?” James looked back at her. 

 

“Be yourself, stop tiptoeing around him like he will break. He’s the Quartermaster of MI6,” Vivian advised with a smile. “And for heaven’s sake, kiss him already. That boy is going to combust staring at you like that.”

 

***

 

James wandered into the yard to find Alec and Rhiannon in a heated discussion about which way the rows of seeds should go, and Gabriel fishing leaves out of the pond. 

 

“Alec, you and Rhiannon are wanted,” James said.

 

Gabriel stood and dried his hands on his pants shyly. “I hope she wasn’t too hard on you, I didn’t mean for her to do that.”

 

“No, she had some good advice,” James smiled. “Can I ask you something?”

 

“Of course?” 

 

“Can I kiss you?” He reached for Gabriel’s hand.

 

“Are you- YES!” Gabriel grinned and pulled him closer. He was tentative, all soft lips and wandering hands. 

 

James leaned in and caught him, curling his fingers into the soft hairs on the back of Gabriel’s neck. He smiled into the kiss, and pulled him closer. “Why did you let me wait so long to do this?” he asked.

 

“It had to be something you wanted, something you were ready for,” Gabriel’s dimples flashed. “It had to be when you decided you couldn’t wait. I’ve been waiting for you… it's been a long time. But you had to come to me.”

 

“You really are remarkable,” James brushed his lips across Gabriel’s forehead.

 

“I’m just me, the same as I’ve always been,” Gabriel smiled. “You just didn’t notice me this way.”

 

“But I came online when I met you,” James said, puzzled. “Shouldn’t I have seen you the same?”

 

“You saw what you wanted to see, a young Quartermaster that you could push around and manipulate into giving you what you wanted. You want someone that pushes back, but gives in. You didn’t expect me to keep resisting.”

 

“No chance for an exploding pen then?”

 

“We really don’t go in for that anymore, 007,” Gabriel pulled him in for another kiss. “But maybe you’ll let me take you out tonight?”

 

“Like a date?” James pulled back to study his face.

 

“Yes, like a date. I bet there are a few hidden gems you haven’t found yet.”

 

“I found you, I think I’m doing alright.”

 

“Honestly!” Gabriel smacked him. “You really got women into bed with those kind of lines?”

 

“No,” James said with a laugh. “Mostly I just stayed quiet and used the puppy dog eyes. Much higher success rate.”

 

“Sometimes they sleep with him out of pity after lines that bad,” Alec added with a laugh. “I come bearing baby onion plants, and then Rhiannon has garlic and collards.”

 

“Grandmama said we should do food for now until we get the soil right, and then herbs in spring,” Rhiannon said, bending to pet Morpheus. 

 

“I’ll lay the rows if you like, and Rhiannon can plant,” Alec offered. “Why don’t you go show James the connecting doors?”   
  
“Alec! You didn’t!” James protested. “I told you I wanted to talk to him about those myself.” Q tugged him off into the cool of the house, silencing his argument with a kiss.

 

“Then you shouldn’t have slept in,” Alec winked. “And wire hangers work really well for low tech locks…”

 

“Alec, you don’t want to regret being on the other side of that door,” Rhiannon teased, a soft sway to her hips as she pulled Alec down for a kiss.

 

“Nah, I suppose not,” he agreed, his large hands easily spanning her waist. “But he’s like my brother.”

 

“But I hope you don’t share, Alec,” she said, her accent turning the words musical. “There are certain things, I’ve been saving for my Sentinel, for a long time.”

 

“Never,” he said, smoothing the curly hair off her face. “Why the Russian alphabet anyway? Of all the things you could have asked me, you asked me to teach you the Russian alphabet?”

 

“I love languages,” Rhiannon shrugged. “Its an easy thing for me, when I’m at a loss for words, ask to learn something. I grew up being laughed at because I had an accent, so I made friends with people who didn’t learn English until later. It gave us something in common.”

 

She pushed up Alec’s sleeve, to expose the bright colors that had infused his mark. “Did you not notice?” She laid her pale arm against his, their knotwork now identical colors. Hers had been originally outlined in freckles, but now there was brown outlining it, like someone had dipped a brush in ink, and colored between the dots. The green matched Alec’s eyes, and the brown was a match to her own hazel ones.

 

“I did,” Alec  rubbed a thumb across her bottom lip. “But I didn’t know… I wanted to be sure. I’m a killer Rhiannon, you don’t want me. I can’t be tamed.”

 

“I’m not trying to tame you, I only want to bring you back to me safe,” she whispered. “You’re a soldier, Caraid. Its different than killing for pleasure.”

“Ca-?” Alec stumbled over the thick vowels.

 

“Lover,” she settled on the gazebo bench, pulling him down with her. 

 

***

 

“Do you think they’ll get the plants in the ground?” Gabriel asked with a smile.

 

“I think I don’t care,” James wrapped his arms around his Gabriel’s waist as they peered out the kitchen window. He pulled the curtain with the thick blue stripes that matched the walls out of Q’s hands, the thin yellow a match to the cabinets with their glass doors. “I can think of better things to think about.”

 

“Like reinforcing the adjoining door lock to only respond to our fingerprints?” Gabriel said thoughtfully. “I can bring home some sensors from the lab on Monday, and-”

 

James cut off the words with a brush of lips. “I think Alec and Rhiannon will be far too busy on that side of the wall to be worried about what we are doing over here. The only thing I have that’s personal in my apartment is my clothes and M’s china Bulldog.”

 

“Will you really let them just take over your place?” Gabriel asked.

 

“I don’t know,” James admitted. “It depends if a certain Boffin minds me invading his privacy and hanging my suits next to his cardigans.”

 

“I already let your goldfish and your cat move in, I suppose there’s enough room for you as well,” Gabriel decided with a smile as he sunk into the overstuffed couch. “Oh this feels good,” he pulled James down next to him. “It's so good to have my old furniture back out of storage. That pre-furnished Six flat was rubbish. And wait until you feel the bed-”

 

“That’s rather forward of you,” James teased.

 

“I meant-” Gabriel blushed bright red. “Its really soft. I bought it with my sign on bonus. I’ve always been an insomniac, and it was the first time I’d ever slept so well.”

 

“What made you leave?” James asked, seriously.

 

“My first duty as Quartermaster was to go equip the most notoriously difficult 00 at the National Gallery,” Gabriel said ruefully.

 

“You moved into the Six housing because of me? Why?”

 

“My mark changed color, I knew it was you. I kept hoping you would figure it out, that you’d come online. But then after awhile, I was so homesick. It was like going through the motions, and I didn’t think you would ever realize that I was your Guide. I went for a walk when I saw you, I was depressed and it was better than staying home another night alone and crying myself to sleep, or staring at the ceiling until the alarm went off.”

 

“I’m sorry,” James said. “I wish I hadn’t been so clueless. I thought something was wrong with me. Every time I left London I felt like I was losing my mind.”

 

“And you didn’t know, we really are hopeless,” Gabriel smiled. “Neither of us ever thought to talk to the other.”

 

“We’re going to have to work on that,” James said. “And you’re right, the telepathy will come in handy for a mission.”

 

“I am a good Quartermaster James, at least give me that!” Gabriel’s protest was half-hearted. 

 

“I wasn’t arguing there-” a loud thump and laughter from the other side of the wall stopped James mid-sentence. “Good lord!”

 

“You may want to tell them to attach the headboard to the wall,” Gabriel winced. “That sounded bad.” 

 

“You did say something about taking me to dinner first,” James reminded. “I feel like I’m eavesdropping. “

 

“I’m in gardening clothes,” Gabriel protested. “But I can make us something and we can take it to the park. I know it's not exactly five star, but I don’t think they give you linen tablecloths with torn trousers.”

 

“It sounds perfect,” James smiled. “Anything I can do to help?”

 

“Make a thermos of coffee?” Gabriel made a sack of sandwiches and cut up some fruit. He grabbed a blanket off the couch, and stuffed everything in his backpack.

 

“Lots of sugar, only a little cream?” James added the thermos and shouldered the bag. Gabriel attached the cats’ leashes and it was a quick walk the few blocks to the park. 

 

“I can’t remember the last time I was outside during the day without heading into work,” Gabriel admitted. He spread the blanket and the cats settled down with the bag of treats he has brought them. He leaned back against a tree and took off his glasses, the sun warm.

 

“I can’t either, I’m usually hung over until it gets dark,” James admitted. He leaned back and nipped a piece of fruit from Gabriel’s fingers, sucking on them.

 

“You’re not making this easy,” Gabriel said with a strangled breath. “I’m trying to be civilized and do this well.”

 

“We’re not teenagers, Gabriel,” James purred, wrapping his tongue around Gabriel’s thumb.

 

“Then stop behaving like one, before you make me come in my pants,” Gabriel scolded. “I’m going to feel like an idiot.”

 

“Fine, at least let me feed you, then,” James picked up a sandwich and offered him a bite. The cats came and sat on his lap, content to nap while Gabriel petted them. 

 

“This is nice, being the center of your attention,” Gabriel said. “I’ve only heard it over the comms. It’s very flattering. And a bit overwhelming.”

 

“I’m afraid what you hear on the comms is all an act,” James said. “This is me trying to remember what it was like to be in a relationship before I was jaded, and brokenhearted. That was a lot of years ago.”

 

“You’re doing fine,” Gabriel smiled. “There isn’t a right way to do this.”

 

“No, I just know what not to do,” James said. He bit into a sandwich, leaning against Gabriel’s shoulder. 

 

“It's a start, stop worrying,” Gabriel bit into a chunk of apple, and it dripped down his chin. James leaned up to lick at him, and Gabriel sighed, leaning into his touch. “Stop over thinking it James, that’s my job.”

 

“Are you ready to wander back?” James asked, sipping the coffee. He stretched with a content sigh and laid down on Q’s lap.

 

“Not yet,” Gabriel petted his hair. “I’m enjoying this.”

 

“Me too,” James admitted. He closed his eyes and curled against Gabriel’s side. “I feel… safe. It's a really... odd feeling.”

 

“Nothing prepares you for it, they say,” Gabriel mused. “Finding your soulmate.”

 

“I’m an adrenaline junkie Gabriel,” James smiled. “This is more… more like coming home. Finding something I didn’t know I was missing.” Cashew curled up on his chest and purred, kneading at him.

 

Gabriel let him doze, feeling the tendrils of contentment and ease coming from his his mate. Morpheus stretched in the sun and settled off to dream as well. Gabriel found his book and managed a few chapters before James blinked awake, a lazy smile on his lips.

 

“I hope you didn’t get bored,” his voice was rough from sleep.

 

“I always bring a book,” Gabriel said. “All I would have been doing at home was reading anyway. And you looked so peaceful, it looked like you hadn’t rested like that in a long time. I was happy to let you,” he smiled shyly.

 

“Do you think the walls are still rattling?” James asked with a laugh. “Or can we go melt on that large sofa of yours?”

 

“Hopefully they’re digging in the garden before Miss V finds out,” Gabriel sat up and re-packed the bag. “Although she didn’t really give them anything that can’t be put off. I think Alec was right, she had underlying motives for today.”

 

James stood and stretched, and the cats yawned beside him. Gabriel smiled at the sight, it was more peaceful and domestic than he thought his life had a right to be. James offered him a hand and took the knapsack, handing over the leashes. They meandered home slowly, the afternoon shadows lengthening.

 

“There’s really good Thai if you fancy a couple of blocks walk later,” Gabriel said bumping into James gently with his hip, brushing his fingers. He unlocked the door and the cats went straight for their water bowl. He went to wash his hands in the bathroom, and yelled. “James!”

 

“What?” Bond came running, Walther glowing green and ready to fire.

 

“Your bloody best friend is a menace,” Gabriel complained, pointing at his closet.

 

“It did save us the trouble,” James put away the gun with a laugh. Arranged neatly were all of James’s clothes, and Gabriel pulled open a drawer to reveal the rest. “That settles it, he can pay the other half of the rest, and you and Rhiannon can do whatever it is you smart people do with your salaries.”

 

“I can pay my own way! Have been for years,” Gabriel shook his head. “I’ll not be kept.”

 

“I can’t keep you?” James gathered Gabriel in his arms. “I have to give you up? But I’ve only just claimed you.”

 

Gabriel allowed himself to be placated with a small smile. “I suppose, but for the record…”

 

“For the record, Quartermaster,” James nodded. “You’re quite capable of taking care of yourself, and us too.” He pulled him back to the couch where they settled with a movie.

 

***

 

“I hope you don’t bloody think you’re done?” Rhiannon’s face was as red as her hair.

 

“Huh?” Alec rolled over, trying to catch his breath.

 

“I don’t know who the hell you’ve slept with in the past, but you’ll have to try a bit harder with me,” she fumed.

 

“God woman, let a man rest for a second,” he swatted at her sleepily.

 

“Your mouth and hands certainly work,” she retorted. “I thought the minutemen were an American thing. I won’t tolerate you getting off and rolling over, you’ll have to be a bit more impressive than that!”

 

“I didn’t the first time,” he protested, sitting up. “But you did that wicked thing with your tongue, and you made me feel fifteen again. I’m sorry, love.” He sat up and leaned in to kiss her cheek.”

 

“You did do well the first time,” she admitted grudgingly. “But if you tell anyone I screamed like a girl, I really will hex your balls.”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he kissed down her spine. “Can I be forgiven for catching my breath then? Turn you over and make it up to you?”

 

“Maybe,” she sighed as he teased at her hip with the pads of his fingers.

 

“Pretty please, moya luna, my moon?”

 

She laid back and pulled him down on top of her. “Just don’t let it happen again,” she teased.

 

***

 

Gabriel blinked awake, the light dim. He was curled against James’s side, and James was stroking the skin below his shirt.

 

“I’m sorry, I  didn’t mean to sleep,” he smiled at James, stretching up to kiss him. 

 

“You fell asleep before the credits were over,” James teased. “I get to pick the next time we watch a movie.”

 

“How was it?” he yawned.

 

“I don’t know, I fell asleep too,” James confessed. “We work too much.”

 

“Well now that I have incentive to come home at night, four legged and otherwise,” Gabriel stretched languidly.

 

“I’m going to worry, next time I get sent out,” James admitted. “Or do you think I won’t be able to be separated from you at all?”

 

“I think after we bond, it's going to get easier,” Gabriel said. “Or at least that’s how it usually works. Every bond is defined by the people involved, so we won’t know exactly how ours works until it happens. It’s just that most of us were told it was a good thing, like losing your virginity. The good outweighs the bad.”

 

“Is there anything that we need to do, to prepare?” James asked.

 

“Maybe not as Sentinel and Guide, but as an alchemist, there are certain things I do to get ready for an important event.”

 

“Will you show me?”

 

“Of course,” Q stood. “I’ll order dinner while you feed the cats. I was going to make some incense, and then take a bath and meditate. It’s a full moon tonight, and I try to do something special if I’m not working.”

 

“Is the moon… does it matter?” James was thoughtful.

 

“It's always good to have a periodic reminder, a time to refocus and regroup,” Q searched through his phone and placed an order for Thai.

 

“Would it work for a bonding though, Guide?” 

 

“Bonding? You want to bond now?” Q put down his phone, goose flesh chilling his skin.

 

“Do you want to wait?” James asked quietly. 

 

“No, but- I’ve known for a long time that I’m a Guide, I’ve been searching for my Sentinel my whole life James. This is new to you.”

 

“Let me decide if I’m ready or not,” James pressed a finger against his lips to silence him. Q nodded, eyes wide. “Will you show me how to make incense?”

 

“Yes, we should probably go to the magic shop though,” Q said thoughtfully. “Have you met Miss Vicki yet?”

 

“Miss Vicki? No, I don’t think so. Is she a friend of Vivian?”

 

“They know each other, she runs the local herb shop,” Q explained. “I think I have all the herbs, but I do need some charcoal. And we can bring Morpheus and Cashew to meet her. She’ll have catnip.”

 

“Alright, time for another adventure,” James smiled. “Do you think Alec and Rhiannon will decide to bond tonight as well?”

 

“I think that judging by the noise, it's already happened,” Q grinned. “Rhiannon has always been the more impetuous one of us.”

 

“They just had sex? Nothing more significant than that?” James frowned.

 

“That’s what a Sentinel and Guide bond is, James,” Q laughed. “They cross cultures, they cross religions. Not every pair would bond like us. The bonding is as unique as the pair. I’ll get the cats’ leashes on if you can get shopping bags out of the coat closet”

 

“Do you mind if we go to the store first? I don’t want her to close, and we can pick up the food on the way home.”

 

“Sure,” James opened the door, where Alec and Rhiannon were sitting on the porch wrapped in  a blanket on the swing. “Oy, you lot surfaced for air?”

 

“Shut it,” Alec turned red. “Where are you two off to?”

 

“Q is taking me to meet Vicki,” James smiled as Q appeared.

 

“Oh, you’re going to love her,” Rhiannon grinned. “She’s wonderful. Are you getting things for the full moon tonight, Gabriel?”

 

“I have everything I need, except charcoal,” Gabriel laughed. “All the excitement of moving in, I forgot to get some. Do you need anything while we’re there?”

 

“No, I went yesterday. Alec, we should sign you up for her next alchemy class, James too,” Rhiannon mused. “Are you guys doing something for the full moon?”

 

“Yes, actually, we are,” Gabriel took Bond’s hand.

 

“Do you want to tell them?” James asked softly, a hand on his waist.

 

“You can if you like?” Gabriel’s smile was vivid. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to wait?”

 

“We’re going to bond tonight,” James said with a soft kiss to his cheek. Gabriel blushed and curled into his side.

 

“Congratulations,” Alec said gently. “It's like nothing you ever imagined. I wasn’t expecting it to be so… emotional? It fixed things I didn’t know were broken.” Rhiannon nodded, more relaxed than she’d been that morning. She looked content to sit, something rare for her.

 

James smiled at his friend. The change from the previous day was striking, Alec was whispering in Rhiannon’s ear, and she looked smitten, relaxed. Alec had only an undershirt on, the scars on his arms and neck showing vivid against his tan. Rhiannon was running a knuckle across a badly healed stab wound on his arms, tracing out patterns counterclockwise to banish the pain. 

 

The twilight walk was quiet, the stirring of the birds settling down for the night a peaceful background noise. The magic shop was a little stucco building, painted bright purple. It sat unassuming at the end of a small strip of stores that had seen better days. At first glance it looked dusty, but as they walked closer, James could see that each of the decorative pieces for sale in the window was carefully handcrafted, and most were centuries old.

 

The bell on the door played something that sounded like Auld Lang Syne to James’s ears. The shop smelled like a fresh herb garden, and there was a lemony resin burning on charcoal in a cauldron. A skittering of toenails announced the arrival of a miniature Italian Greyhound, wearing a tiny cardigan. 

 

“Vincent!” Gabriel exclaimed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a biscuit for the dog. “Don’t tell Aunt Vicki.”

 

“Aunt Vicki can see and hear you just fine love, I’m not senile yet!” A petite woman with black hair, and a face framed with red highlights came out of the back room. “Gabriel! Oh my god, after you kept ordering online, we were worried we would never see you again! I know we dressed a candle for you to get that job, but is it really a good thing?”

 

“A lot has happened,” Gabriel swept her off her feet into a hug. She was dressed in all black lace, and a spider web print black velvet skirt. “It's so good to be here, I moved back just this month. Oh, Aunt Vicki, this is James, my Sentinel. James, this is Aunt Vicki.”

 

“It's a pleasure, James,” Vicki smiled mischievously. “I’m assuming Vivian and Rhiannon have already threatened your bollocks, so I don’t have to threaten to hex them?”

 

“Not before I bond with him, please!” James’s voice came out higher than he had planned. 

 

“Can we get some charcoal please, and some catnip?” Gabriel laughed. “Don’t tease him, please. I don’t want to give him performance anxiety tonight.”

 

“Oh, you’re going to do it on the full moon?” Vicki smiled. 

 

“It was James’s idea actually, magic is new to him.”

 

“If it was his idea, then he has some latent knowledge that needs to be developed. We have a new alchemy class starting the first, if he wants to come. And you know you’re always welcome to sit in, Gabriel.”

 

“Oh! We need to put Alec on the list as well, James’s best friend. He bonded with Rhiannon, poor boy,” Gabriel sighed dramatically.

 

“No wonder he’s worried about his balls being hexed.” Miss Vicki laughed. “She scares me! Will we see you both for the Solstice then?”

 

“We wouldn’t miss it,” Gabriel nodded. 

 

It was a peaceful walk home in the fall twilight. The birds were settling down for the night, and Cashew chattered happily at each tree they passed. Morpheus was a bit more aloof, winding through Gabriel’s legs, and shedding hair on his pants. The leaves were crunchy beneath their shoes, and the air smelled like dinners cooking and burning fireplaces.

 

Gabriel stopped to get their food, and a lively discussion ensued as he protested the extra order of eggrolls, and that he wasn’t too skinny. When they dished out dinner, James teased him about the extra container of noodles that had found its way into the bag as well. They settled into the couch with the various containers, and each of the kittens got their own skewer of satay chicken to devour.

 

James found his hands shaking as he put away the leftovers. It wasn’t performance anxiety so much as worrying that Gabriel would be disappointed. All the sex tricks he had learned for missions would count for nothing, because Gabriel could sense his feelings. There would be no faking, and it scared him spineless.

 

“You’re thinking too hard,” Gabriel scolded. He wrapped his arms around James’s waist and stared over his shoulder out the kitchen window. “Bodies are awkward. I’m not worried about it. The worst thing that happens is we laugh at ourselves.”

 

“Easy for you to say, you don’t have a reputation to uphold.”

 

“No, I’m just the one that can’t walk in a straight line without falling over my shoelaces,” Gabriel grinned ruefully. “I’ve always been klutzy, I’ve just learned to work around it. Let’s go make our incense.” He put the salt, rosemary, jasmine flowers, and sage in the mortar and handed James the pestle. “Now we’re going to first go widdershins, counter clockwise. We think about the things we don’t want: fear, nerves, sadness. Now we go deosil, or clockwise, and think about the things we want to attract: peace, caring, love.”

 

James relaxed as he followed the instructions. It felt natural to be standing in the kitchen with his lover doing this, the wooden table from Skyfall their workbench. He let his eyes drift shut and leaned back into Gabriel’s arms with a sigh.

 

“You ready for a bath?”Gabriel got a jar of sea salt and baking soda from the herb cabinet. It had sage and lavender mixed in, and he opened the jar for James to smell it. “All the herbs that I have, Miss Vivian and I grew. It makes me feel more connected, being a part of the process from the beginning.”

 

Gabriel placed candles of various heights on a plate and lit them. He brought them into the bathroom, and dumped the salts into the tub and filled it.

 

“I expected this to be so much more…” James trailed off.

 

“Dramatic?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow with a laugh. “The way I learned alchemy, is that the ancient alchemists used the process to turn metal into gold. Today, we use the same ideas to turn the alchemist into gold, or the purest form of ourselves we can be.”

 

James was trapped in his head, a hand running over the scar from where Eve had shot him. In the mirror all of his ghosts returned, and the candle light threw the shadows under his eyes into stark relief. Gabriel unbuttoned James’s shirt and kissed the skin under each button. He stripped his own clothes off, and got into the warm water with a shiver. “Come here?”

 

James shook off the phantom memories and took off his remaining clothes and climbed into the tub. He curled into Gabriel’s neck with a ragged sigh; a handful of shampoo and Gabriel was massaging his scalp gently, telling him how he had celebrated previous full moons, and the last solstice. By the time Gabriel was pouring a ewer of warm water to rinse his hair, the panic was easing from him and he was focused on Gabriel’s words.

 

By the time the water cooled, James was laughing and responding, back mentally. Gabriel drained the water and stood, offering him a hand. He wrapped James in a soft towel and led him to the bedroom. There were candles lit there as well, and a fire in the fireplace. The fire turned the water drops on Gabriel's skin to rubies, and James chased one with his tongue. Gabriel sighed, fingers tangled in James’s damp hair.

 

Gabriel knelt in front of the altar and lit the charcoal. James followed and knelt next to him, watching Gabriel go through the steps he had explained. He sprinkled incense on the charcoal and let his breathing slow, the dried herbs making fragrant smoke in the air. Gabriel’s shoulders relaxed and he reached for James’s hand, talking him through the colors that he used to meditate and shield. 

 

“Bed?” James asked quietly when he finished. A nod from Gabriel and he pulled him onto the waiting bed. “Everything you have is soft,” James said. “Pillows, duvet, even your skin. I expected it to be like your office, practical.”

 

“No, I’m a bit of a hedonist,” Gabriel confessed. “I work hard, so I like to relax when I have time.”

 

James knelt in front of him and traced his hands over Gabriel’s chest. Gabriel shivered and licked his lips with a loud sigh, breaking out in goosebumps. James could feel their hearts racing in sync.

 

“Can I kiss you now?” he asked Gabriel.

 

Gabriel nodded and reached for him, sighing into James’s mouth.

 

Once their lips were on each other, it was instinct taking over, and James could feel the protectiveness he hadn’t experienced in so long. He’d been treated as a weapon, and now someone was seeing him as human again. No, not someone. His Guide, his Guide who had been searching for him, who had been bringing him home all along.

 

“James, please?” Gabriel arched his neck.

 

James sunk his teeth in, arousal coiling in his belly. He could see himself as Gabriel saw him, and wasn’t that a wonder. The bond unfurled like a flame smouldering into fire. 

 

Gabriel didn’t see 007, or a battle scarred Navy veteran. He saw James through the bond, with the bright smile that reached his blue eyes. He saw him sleeping on his lap at the park, and James was drowning in it, the love he could feel. In his mind, he saw James as a young man, and through the bond he saw him as whole, without the emotional scars. 

 

Gabriel gasped. He had read the file for when Skyfall burned, had been in James’s ear. But nothing prepared him for the plunge of falling into the cold water, the iron grief banding his chest as James held M in the chapel and cried. Then there was the tentative hope, a possibility of what if when they ran into each other on the sidewalk that night in the rain, and the sprouted warmth in his chest as James saw him at the carnival.

 

When Gabriel bit into James’s neck it was blinding, cauterizing the distrust that had been festering in his psyche. All those years that Gabriel had seen himself as inadequate, he saw himself as James saw him, the person that always came to the rescue. James saw him as the level headed one who worked his hardest to bring them home safe, even when he was barely on his feet, exhaustion sanding his eyes into grit.

 

For James, it soothed the ragged cliff edges of the scars into smooth beach glass memories. It took away the sting of the betrayal, Vesper sank back beneath the waves and stayed there, while he reveled in the memories he could see running through Gabriel's mind. And there was the National Gallery, and his own idiotic response. He found himself laughing against Gabriel's neck and Gabriel dissolving into helpless giggles beside him.

 

"What was I afraid of? Is it supposed to be like that?” James asked sleepily, their bodies still curled together.

 

“I don’t know,” Gabriel blew out the candles. “But I can’t imagine it being any better.”

 

***

 

“So we are going to do the same meditation we did last night,” Gabriel and James were kneeling in front of the altar. “But I want you to imagine the shields around both of us. You can feel me, reach for that and use it to reinforce the wards as you build them.”

 

“What about the house?” James asked, their palms pressed together and pulses synced.

 

“We’ll do those after,” Gabriel smiled. “First I want to make sure you’re protected for the next mission, Sentinel.”

 

“Yes, Guide,” James ducked his head and stole a kiss. “Bonding wards first.”

 

***

 

Q wasn’t sure who was more nervous, him or James. He equipped the agent like it was any other day, but his heart was in his throat. He knew that criminals kept tabs on the British agents, and the moment they noticed that his mark had changed, they would have discovered a weak spot. Even if Q could take care of himself, Bond would move Heaven and Earth to keep his Guide safe.

 

“I’ll be alright James,” he said, feeling James’s heart beat out of sync with his own as he touched his wrist. “ _ Just remember, you can always hear me, even without the ear piece _ ,” he thought.

 

“So you’ll hear if I have sex with someone else?” James yelled. “I can’t do this.”

 

The minions decided to beat a hasty retreat into the break room to fire up the kettle. No one had anything critical going on other than 004, and her minion had on earphones anyway.

 

“Come on,” Q pulled him into his office. “I’ve been in your ear every time James, you’re never without me in the field, any of you, until you destroy my ten thousand pound ear buds!”

 

“But you’re my guide!” James was frustrated.

 

“And you’re a 00 agent, which is exactly who I fell in love with,” Q said firmly. “Don’t forget the day I met you was the day I sent you to Shanghai, Sentinel. Even if you destroyed the ear bud, Eve gave me more than an ear full about your activities.”

 

“I’m sorry,” James stuttered.

 

“Hey, hey,” Q caught his hand, and kissed the mark. “You’re mine, and I have every intention of bringing you home. Just, warn me if something like that is going to happen, so I can prepare myself. I’m not sure I can watch that yet.”

 

James nodded and pulled him into a tight hug. “Be careful, while I’m gone?” he studied Q’s features. “Take a car home, and try to get some rest.”

 

“I’ll rest when you’re home, Sentinel,” Q said. “It’s easier knowing I’m here if something happens, and I can help you. Alec and Rhiannon have the kittens. It's a short mission, you’ll be home in a couple of days.”

 

“Don’t jinx it,” James gave a wry smile.

 

True to James’s prediction, the mission was not as simple as the briefing had implied. It took approximately two hours for the mission to go haywire when his plane landed in Paris. 

 

“I didn’t really have a choice Q,” James argued. “It was put on the collar, or he was going to blow up the Louvre.”

 

“So you let him put an explosive collar on you instead?” Q growled. “Ok, it should take me about an hour to get there via helicopter. And 007?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You’re going to owe me for this in a major way!”

 

“Just, please get here?” James sounded a bit desperate. “If anyone can get me out, it's you.”

 

“I’m on my way, try to stay calm for me,” Q said. “I’m doing the best I can.” Q hit the stairs from the basement at a dead run, too impatient to wait for the elevator. He ducked under the helicopter blades, hair flying. By the time he collapsed into the seat, heart pounding, he was too short of breath to register to be scared as the helicopter lifted into the air.

 

He spent the hour helicopter flight terrified that he was going to be too late. James kept talking, telling him about the paintings that he could see, and the tourists that were milling around. He told Q about the families, the people with children. As the helicopter circles, Q realized he could hear James speaking in his mind, rather than over the ear bud.

 

_ I’m scared, Q… I’ve only just found you. _

 

**_I know, breathe for me. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Stay calm._ **

 

When the helicopter let him off across the street, they had already evacuated the museum, and James was whiter than the marble floor. The collar looked like new bicycle gears, with a digital combination lock hanging where the ends joined. And as the numbers counted down, it grew shorter. 

 

_ Is it supposed to be ticking? _

 

Q froze, his fingers already unsteady.

 

**_No, but I’m almost done._ **

 

Q had been afraid many times in his life. He’d held the life of more than one 00 agent in his fingers. But right now he couldn’t consider himself to be objective. That was his newly bonded Sentinel, and goddamn if he wasn’t ready to let the world burn if it would mean they both survived this.

 

_ Don’t lie to me, not now. _

 

**_I’m not, I’m lying to myself. I need to hear it._ **

 

It counted down to seconds, red letters flashing, mocking him. He was glad that James couldn’t read it, but he was afraid that his terror was being telegraphed all too readily by his petrified mind. There was click as the tiny hex key stopped turning. It took all of Q’s will power to steel himself to tug at the ends of the chain. Either this was goodbye, and they will be the last people to see the Mona Lisa, or their whole lives were ahead of them.

 

**_I love you, James._ **

 

_ Please don’t let that be the last time I hear it.  _

 

The chain separated with an audible chink, and Q caught the lock in his hand. He pulled James out of the museum behind him, and tugged him into his arms with a sob. The armed agent just outside the door pulled the lock from his hand and threw it into a bomb proof case, where it could detonate without harming anyone around them. 

 

“Are we in a rush to get back to Six?” James asked.

 

“No? I don’t think so,” Q laid his head on James’s shoulder.

 

“Do you want to wait and take a train home?”

 

“I-” Q looked around. “I’m honestly… so tired I don’t think I care.”

 

“You hate flying,” James protested.

 

“I forgot, I had larger things to be frightened of. I’d really just like to be home.”

 

***

A knock at the door startled Gabriel out of his dough making. 

 

“I got it,” James said, startling him. The cup of flour went flying off the counter, landing on Cashew. She stalked out of the kitchen with an indignant yowl, leaving a trail of flour behind him. Gabriel managed to catch her by the scruff of the neck, and flying fur added to the chaos.

 

“Gabriel, Calvin and Marie are here!” James yelled.

 

“Little busy here!” Gabriel appeared, flour in his hair, and Cashew squirming in his arms. “Can you take your cat outside and dust her off please? I’m going to try and catch Morpheus before-”

 

_ CRASH.  _ Morpheus jumped off the fridge, and landed face first in the flour bucket.

“Oh you certainly have your hands full!” Marie scooped up Cashew and took her outside to dust her off, while Calvin handed over a covered platter. 

 

“Gabriel!” Calvin  caught him in a bear hug. “It's good to see you back in the neighborhood. How are you and Morpheus getting along?”

 

“It was all brilliant until the great flour debacle,” Gabriel laughed, blinking owlishly through smudged glasses.

 

“Oooh, I almost forgot!” Marie smiled. “We brought Rhiannon and Alec’s kittens. Are they home?”

 

“They’ll be over in a bit,” James smiled and stared into the cat carrier at the tiny ears. “Don’t look Gabriel, you’ll fall in love.”

 

“I already have mine, thanks,” Gabriel blinked. “Oh dear, this lot is going to need bottles aren’t they?”

 

“Yes, I’m afraid their mama didn’t make it,” Marie sighed. “After all these years, I still take it personally when I lose one. We got her out from under that building they are demolishing by the tube station. All the babies will make it, but she was too weak.”

 

“You don’t breed your cats?” James asked, astonished.

 

“Oh goodness no,” Rhiannon walked in the door, Alec behind her. “Marie runs the local cat rescue. Black cats are least likely to be adopted, so she makes them her special project.” She handed Gabriel a block of cheese. “Aunt Vivian will be over with homemade sauce in a bit. Oh my god, do we have bottles? They’re so little!”

 

“I brought you two, and a can of formula to start off,” Marie opened the cage. “Goodness knows we always find a litter when stores are closed.”

 

“Have you thought of a name yet?” Alec asked, completely smitten with the blue eyes blinking up at him. He picked up the black kitten and petted its belly gently.

 

“Oh, I suppose you’ve got yours already picked out then?”

 

“I think… Hazel,” Alec said, as the tiny kitten curled her paw around Alec’s thumb.

 

“I was thinking about Oberon,” Rhiannon said, taking the syringe of milk from Marie. “I’m glad we weren’t planning on sleeping any time soon, they’ll eat every hour or two.”

 

“I’m here!” Miss Vivian came through the door, balancing a jar of sauce, and a tray. “Oh Marie, Gabriel didn’t tell me the litter was ready to go to new homes yet!”

 

“More like someone is going to be playing mama for a while,” Marie smiled. “Ooh, are those your famous garlic knots? You know I never can resist those.”

 

“Just finished rising and ready to bake,” Vivian put the tray in the oven. “Gabriel, tell me you saw Mr. Yee? It has been one hell of a day.”

 

“Two bottles and glasses are on the table, help yourself,” Gabriel grinned. “What kind of trouble were you causing?”

 

“You know the realtor tried to tell this nice young lesbian couple they might want to move further out of the city?” Vivian spluttered. “I think they were some of your people dear.”

 

“Our ‘people’?” James asked warily. 

 

“Oh, you know, those MI6 types, think they are being all stealthy with their shoulder holsters and shiny sunglasses. You think they would know how obvious they look.”

 

“That will be Tashiko and Khawla,” Gabriel burst out laughing. 

 

“Tashiko? R is a lesbian?” Alec’s eyes grew wide. “I told you James, twenty pounds. No woman can resist me.”

 

“Oy, Alec! Do you want to spending the night on the couch?” Rhiannon scolded.

 

“It’s not even your apartment, woman!” Alec grinned as he fed Hazel.

 

“It’s not yours either!” Rhiannon retorted. “And I think James is smart enough not to tangle and argue with me.”

 

“James is certainly smart enough to stay out of this one,” Bond agreed. “How’s the pasta dough love?”

 

“Perfect, let’s get it rolled out and dried and we can go have some wine in the garden,” Gabriel handed out a clothes hanger to each person.

 

“What do clothes hangers have to do with pasta?” Alec asked suspiciously.

 

“Ah, Gabriel’s bring your own hanger parties are legendary,” Vivian smiled. “It’s homemade pasta. It has to dry before we can boil it.”

 

Gabriel made short work of rolling the dough through the machine and each person filled their hanger and hung it on the chandelier to dry. 

 

“Oh, I  brought some fresh basil as well,” Marie said. “It goes wonderfully with the noodles.”

 

“You still play that better than I do, Calvin,” Gabriel laughed. Alec had a kitten in each arm and was singing to them, while Calvin was picking a Beatles’ tune on Gabriel’s acoustic guitar.

 

“I’m still older than you,” Calvin retorted. “When you have less teeth than decades lived too, we can talk,”

 

“I missed this,” Gabriel sat in the gazebo, his head on James’s shoulder. “It’s good to be home again.”

 

“This is the first place that’s ever felt like home,” James mused. 

 

***

 

“Goddamn it James,” Alec threatened. “If I get zapped one more time…”

 

“Then you shouldn’t keep trying to come through the connecting door,” Q grinned sweetly. 

 

“I’ve told you a million times not to.” He curled back against James under the duvet.

 

“Yeah Alec, listen to the Quartermaster,” James yawned. “Its Saturday and it's barely light. Go bother your Guide.”

 

“Alec, I have told you, not to be opening that door!” Rhiannon’s red hair appeared behind him as she gave him a smack to the back of the head. “I told you he armed it. I’m sorry, James, Gabriel. I thought me sleeping next to you naked would be enough deterrent to keep you out of trouble, but obviously not!”

 

“Someone got told,” James muttered gleefully.

 

“He’s your best friend!” Gabriel tried to muffle his laughter as Rhiannon pulled Alec back to bed by the ear and slammed the door.

 

“Never dull,” James shook his head.

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
